The ball
by marzip
Summary: Prince James and Lily at a ball. Sorry if it's not much of a summary.


And, oh! There he was with his messy black locks and his brilliant hazel eyes!

She walked across the scarlet carpet into the great ballroom. Instantly looking up at the crystal chandelier that looked so much like the sun. Standing there for a moment she basked in it's glow looking up again at the ceiling praying to heaven. Before moving she glanced around the room to notice the women and men gathering like bees among flowers and the band hadn't even finished warming up! It was amazing how eager people were to dance.

She walked up to Prince James, who was standing alone with his back to everyone. "Why hello Prince James how lovely it is to see you here" she said curtseying.

"Oh Lily, hello what a pleasant surprise!" Prince James smiled, bowing.

"This place is wondrous! With the sun like chandelier and polished marble floor like ice!"

"Yeah it's nice" he replied as the band got ready to play.

"Would you like to dance?" Lily asked shyly to her Prince.

"Okay I guess" he said as she whisked him onto the ice and they twirled to the music.

"So I hear you like quidittch. Personally I'm not very good but I like to watch. You see I'm not very athletic." Lily started, flying at a hundred words a minute.

"Oh, yeah quidittch. I play. It's fun." he replied slowly and nonchalantly with a hint of nervousness. Lily smiled at this and they continued talking about everything. Twirling around with him she noticed the streams of flowers purple and red, their favorites. They streamed like shooting stars rotating around the glistening ball at the ceiling.

Several songs pass but they don't realize it. The music blends together like a giant song of life while the bees attending to their flowers disappear completely. But, all too soon the never-ending song is interrupted but the queen bees.

"OH James you look marvelous!" purred Jill.

"Who's this toe rag?" questioned Jessica.

"Ick she's horrid!"declared Jasmine.

"Come with us!" pulled Misty as she took him out of Lily's lovely arms. There went the streams of flowers rotating and ice, oh Lily sure felt a chill. A chill from watching her Prince dance smilingly with those stingers. Her heart panged but she smiled at their evil grins. The once bright sun gave a flicker and it was now just a chandelier, the illusion broken, the flowers not rotating but sitting still in their vases while the queen bees and her Prince danced.

"Oh look at Lily she's miserable" sang Jasmine while Misty twirled with Prince James. Several songs pass and Misty is still leading him on the floor. The other three queen bees prepare their stingers.

"You've danced with him enough it's my turn!" cried Jill.

"You're turn? Ha it's mine next after all I'm the best looking!" laughed Jessica.

"As if that would be me. He's mine now!" screamed Jasmine.

"Oh you bumbling fools! He's mine always!" sneered Misty.

"Yours he doesn't smile at you like he does me"

"He's smiling because he thinks you're funny looking"

"Yeah, well, you're not much better"

"Oh you fools he's mine!" and they all make a grab for him as he slowly tries to get away.

"Oh sweetheart where are you going don't you want to continue to dance?" said Misty "OK good then stay" she continued as she grabbed him firmly. The queen bees continued to fight and ting each other over Prince James.

"Um...excuse me...ladies...but I must go...erm...refresh myself" said Prince James breaking the fight.

"Oh don't be too long" sang Jill to his retreating back. Scanning the crowd of dancers he looked for Lily but did not see her.

Lily was sitting on a chair feeling helpless. Her one night of happiness was torn apart by the stingers. Even the flowers seem to have wilted and the chandelier less bright. Of course he's happy with the stingers, she should have seen it, a lowly maiden as herself never gets the Prince. Especially since she waited too long to make her move and admit that she actually cared. She looked at the sad flowers crying along with her.

Looking towards the exit she saw the scarlet carpet. No longer was it elegance and luxury in its finest state, now just the pathway to heartbreak. That's what the scarlet must be for, all the blood that has stained it from all the broken hearts that have walked across it.

She got up and walked across the melting ice which seemed to suck her deeper with slush. How difficult it was to move in such a wealthy, luxury filled ballroom. The delicacy stifled her airways making it harder to breathe but even easier to cry. She sloshed down heartbreak lane tears hitting the scarlet.

Suddenly she wasn't moving, was it her feet failing under her, no it was her Prince turning her.

"Lily? Oh what's wrong?" Prince James asked concern flooding to his face.

"I-its n-nothing. D-don't w-worry ab-about i-it." she stammered.

"If it's those stingers I've only just saved myself by getting away."

"I'm fine"

"Well then dance with me and don't leave" he said taking her arm and twirling on the dance floor. He smiled but silence prevailed. Lily looked around but the streams were not there, the sun gone, and the floor still slush so she tripped. "Oh Lily I must tell you something if you will listen" he sighed.

"I'm listening" replied Lily.

"Those stingers mean nothing. I know you're upset with them but they are nothing. The only one that means anything to me is you! And Lily oh how I love you so!"

"Prince Ja-"

"Please call me James" James interrupted.

"Oh James! I love you too!" the flowers turned into streams because the sun shown brightly again. The slush was ice and they skated elegantly to the never-ending song of life.


End file.
